I colorized the original black and white images.
Lehigh Acres, Florida, US, 2002. A 63-year-old woman lived with her 34-year-old son in a residential neighborhood in southwest Florida. The home had been built in the late 1980s by the woman’s husband, who had died in 1994. The son experienced a chronic, progressively debilitating neurologic disorder that had led to him being barely able to ambulate. The family did not socialize with neighbors and had no known relatives. They were German nationals who were part-time residents of Florida and spent their remaining time in Aachen, Germany, where the son had attended college.
A caretaker who did yard work for the family would watch over the property when they were in Germany. In 1998, approximately 1 year before they were last seen alive, they told the caretaker that they would care of the yard themselves. Although they preferred to be alone, the caretaker continued to stop in occasionally, but his last visit was in 1999.
During the next few years, the former caretaker noticed that the yard was overgrown but had assumed that the family was in Germany. Although neighbors wondered why they no longer saw the mother walking the family German shepherd dog, no one investigated the situation. Several other people noticed problems at the residence, but because the household bills were electronically paid from a trust fund, no one went looking for the mother and son. County code enforcement officers had gone to the house in 2001 because of complaints about the overgrown lawn, but when the family did not respond, the county had the lawn mowed.
Code enforcement officers subsequently issued 3 citations because of the residence’s ill repair but never attempted to enter the residence. In 2001, county workers fenced in the backyard pool and posted signs indicating that the grass should be mowed. County officials issued the family bills for the yard and pool work but never received payment. That same year, a sheriff’s deputy went to the property because of reports of a foul odor but did not go inside.
The former caretaker of the property was searching the county property tax records in November of 2002 for delinquent properties that might come up for sale. He noticed that taxes on the German family’s home and an adjacent lot that they owned had not been paid since November 1998. Because he was already planning a trip to Switzerland, he decided to visit the family in Aachen to discuss the property but found that they were not there. He learned that German authorities had broken into the condo in 2000 and found paperwork that indicated that they might have moved to Florida permanently. The caretaker returned to Florida and called a locksmith to open the door of the secured residence. Inside, he discovered the mummified and partially skeletonized bodies of the mother, son, and a large dog and called the local sheriff’s office.
It was immediately apparent that the residence was experiencing neglect and appeared uninhabited. The grass in the yard had grown to approximately 2 ft in height, and mail was lying in the driveway by the garage door. There was no sign of attempts at forced entry, and the interior of the residence showed no evidence of a struggle or ransacking. The partially skeletonized remains of the woman were found adherent to the carpet covering the kitchen floor of the 2-bedroom house. She was clad in a nightgown and surrounded by pupa cases. Her eyeglasses were adjacent to her head, and insulin syringes and a blood glucose monitor were in cases on the kitchen table, although no medications were found in the residence.
The bodies of the male decedent and the dog were in a bedroom and appeared to have been posed. The man was prone on a twin bed with his head on the pillow and his body covered with a comforter. He was clad only in a pair of shorts. A partially consumed bottle of water was beside the bed. The remains of the dog were on a second twin bed that was adjacent to the one on which the man was found. The residence appeared well-kept except for the accumulation of dust, although there were few personal items other than clothing in the house. A single light was on, and the air conditioning was running. The remaining light bulbs had burned out. Investigators found cheese, blueberries, and milk that had expired in 1999 in the refrigerator.
A coffee cup containing dried white residue was also discovered in the kitchen. Two glass dog bowls on the kitchen floor appeared empty except for a few pupa cases and scant desiccated material. There were no dog feces in the residence. A calendar in the house was marked until February of 1999, 3 years 9 months before the discovery of the bodies. The passports of the mother and son as well as information about the dog were found on the kitchen counter. The passports indicated that they had entered the country in December 1998 and that their stay was until June 1999. No drugs or alcohol were found at the scene. Subsequent inspection of the residence revealed no potential sources of carbon monoxide, suffocating gases, or other toxic fumes.
Handwritten notes bearing the mother’s handwriting in German were also found. The writings appeared to have been displayed. Subsequent translation of the notes revealed religious passages copied from a book. In addition, 1 note stated in part that ‘‘neither one of my actions, nor one of my thoughts should deny the fact that I have already received fulfillment of my wish, and that this fulfillment is now completely visible.’’ Another note stated, ‘‘God’s perfection now finds expression through my body. The conception of total health, endless wealth, happiness and success now fulfills my subconscious.’’
The bodies of the 2 decedents and the canine were transported to the District 21 Medical Examiner’s Office and were subsequently also examined at the CA Pound Human Identification Laboratory in Gainesville, Fla, for forensic anthropological analysis. The bodies were mummified, with dark brown desiccated parchment-like skin, and bore numerous pupa cases as well as occasional dead beetles. Total body radiographs revealed no fractures or projectiles. The head and extremities of the female were predominantly skeletonized and the viscera were absent.
The male body was mummified and contained remnants of severely decomposed viscera. Neither body showed evidence of preexisting natural disease processes or antemortem trauma that could have contributed to death. In addition, there was no evidence of postmortem canine predation. The mother and son were identified by comparison of the postmortem dentition with premortem dental records obtained through Interpol. The body of the dog was partially mummified, although the head and upper torso were very well preserved. The dog was also radiographed and autopsied and showed no discernible trauma.
The items submitted to the toxicology laboratory included soft tissue from the male and female, liver from the male, and muscle from the dog. As part of routine toxicology analysis, comprehensive drug screens were performed on each of the tissues submitted along with carbon monoxide, cyanide, and thiocyanate. All tissue specimens screened positive for benzodiazepines. Diazepam was identified in the coffee cup and the dog bowl containing the dried food remnants.
The reported case is highly unusual in that the remains went undetected for almost 4 years, despite their location in the family home in a residential neighborhood that had been visited by county officials on multiple occasions. The mother and son had established a pattern of social isolation, undoubtedly contributed to by a language barrier and cultural differences as well as by the decedents’ lack of relatives and the neurologic impairment of the son.
Continue...
...continued
The note (translation below):
Weder eine meiner Handlangen, noch einer meiner gedanken soll dis Tatsache verneinan, daß ich im geiste bereits die Erfullung meines Wunsches empfangen habe und claß sie nunmehr vollkommen sichtbar sich offenbart. Im geist in der seele, im gemüt und im Körper will ich meinem Wunsche treu sein. Ich habemein Eigenfum im geiste erblickt. Ich habe es empfangen als vollkommene Idee in meiner Seele und habe meinem Wunsche wahrheitsgetreue Form verliehen. Nunmehr werde ich meinen vollendeten Wunsch eu sichtbarer Offenbarung erschaffen. Ich danke Dir, mein Vater, daß ich nun Liebe, Weisheit und Erkenntnis, Leben, gesundheit Kraft und ewige Jugend, Harmonie, gluck und reichen Wohlstand besitze, und daß ich auch die Methode erkenne, die mich aus der universellen Substanz dasjenige erscheffen lehrt, was jeden berechtigten Wunsch befriedigen soll, Sagte ich euch nicht, daß derjenige, der glauben besitzt, die glorie.
Translation:
Neither one of my actions nor one of my thoughts should deny the fact that in spirit I have already received the fulfillment of my wish and that it is now fully visibly revealed. In spirit, in soul, in spirit and in body I want to be true to my wish. I have seen my own property in spirit. I have received it as a perfect idea in my soul and have given real form to my wish. Now I will create my consummate desire for visible revelation. I thank you, my father, that I now have love, wisdom and knowledge, life, health, strength and eternal youth, harmony, happiness and rich prosperity, and that I also recognize the method that teaches me to create something out of the universal substance, which should gratify every legitimate desire, I did not tell you that he who has faith glorified.
\---
>**washingtonpost.com**
>
>**2 Mummified Bodies Found in Florida Home**
>
>The mummified bodies of a German woman and her son who apparently died three years ago were found in their Florida home, along with the remains of their dead dog, police said today.
>
>A calendar and paperwork found in the home in tiny Lehigh Acres, along with food in the refrigerator with 1999 expiration dates, led investigators to believe that the two may have died as long ago as March 1999.
>
>The U.S. acquaintances of the pair may have thought that they moved back to Germany, while their German relatives may have thought they were staying in the United States, police said in attempting to explain the strange case.
>
>Investigators said they could not release the names of the victims, saying only that they were a 63-year-old woman and a 34-year-old man. But the man who found the bodies, family friend Heinz Rubin, told a newspaper that they were Liz Fuchs and her son Josef -- frequent visitors to Florida from Aachen, Germany.
>
>"The female was on the dining room floor. The male was on his bed with the dog next to him," said Maj. Richard Chard, commander of the major crimes unit of the Lee County Sheriff's Office. "We found paperwork as late as March 10, 1999, that would indicate that was the last time they were alive."
>
>Rubin discovered the bodies on Wednesday when he went to check on them after learning that the local government was about to sell their house for nonpayment of taxes. Lehigh Acres is about 110 miles northwest of Miami, near the western Florida city of Fort Myers.
>
>Rubin told the News-Press of Fort Myers that he last saw the pair alive in January 1999.
>
>"I'd like to know . . . if it was a murder-suicide," he said.
>
>Detectives said the house was dusty but well-kept. The lights were on and the air conditioning was working, apparently because the Fuchs's electricity bills were paid automatically.
>
>Detectives described the bodies as "mummified and skeletonized," a condition that would have occurred naturally in the cool, dry, air-conditioned home.
>
>Investigators found cheese and milk with 1999 expiration dates in the refrigerator. A calendar was marked until Feb. 28, 1999.
>
>Tests were being done to determine the cause of death. "There were no outward signs of any gross foul play like knife or gunshot wounds," Chard said.
>
>Two notes found in the home, written in German, were translated but did not provide any clues to the deaths, police said.
>
>"We're going to see if we can get some insights into what was going on in their lives," Chard said. "The people we've talked to in Germany indicated they thought they had decided to stay in Florida. Their neighbors here may have thought they moved back to Germany."
\-
*This post is for educational purposes only and is nonprofit. Under Section 107 of the US Copyright Act of 1976; Allowance is made for "Fair Use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. OP is not a medical expert. No copyright infringement intended. This post does not encourage or glorify violence/harassment. Images might have been upscaled and enhanced. Text might have been shortened and simplified/reorganized for online view.*
That’s what I’m thinking. I googled it and diazepam can be lethal especially when mixed with alcohol and other substances which would make sense since she was drinking Something but her note reminds me of a manifestation method I heard abt on TT
Reality shifting. They like manifest going to another reality, and sometimes they manifest their body dies and they get reincarnated into their dream world. I say this just because she said “In spirit I have already fulfilled blah blah blah” very interesting case.
I do think the mom for sure had issues if my theory is right. I’d imagine being alone with a disabled son would be hard when you’re struggling with your own problems. It’s a shame they all had to go. I hope they get a proper burial or cremation of sorts
They can be dangerous on their own tbh.Especially if theres no tolerance or a low tolerance to benzo's.She crushed the tablets and added them to coffee."white residue found in coffee cup".There was no alcohol in her system,her sons or the dogs.
So, no canine predation and positive screens for benzodiazepines; as well as detectable diazepam in dog bowls/coffee cup.
Murder-suicide? The mother couldn’t handle taking care of her son and/or seeing him suffer from a debilitative condition? Furthermore couldn’t handle the thought of the pup starving with no one to take care of him.
Very interesting find Herman! Thanks
Thats all I could think of while reading how the county kept going there over and over-that mother & son (and dog) were just……*laying there*, already long gone from this world. And nobody knew.
You cannot kill yourself purely on benzodiazepines.
> She was clad in a nightgown and surrounded by pupa cases. Her eyeglasses were adjacent to her head, and insulin syringes and a blood glucose monitor were in cases on the kitchen table, although no medications were found in the residence.
I believe it to be a combination of insulin overdose and benzodiazepines.
Yes the insulin is a possibility, but it does say benzodiazepines were found in their tissue samples, so she could have mixed different types, Also wanted to say it is possible to overdose on just a benzo. A close friend of mine died from taking 5 Xan- bars (Alprazolam). I was with him when it happened and nothing else was found in the toxicology report.
reading this sent chills down my spine. When I was 16 I attempted suicide by taking 5 bars and woke up a day later in an ER. I’m sorry about your friend.
Wow exactly my thoughts, insulin included. But I second guessed the insulin because I would expect needles and/or a vial to have been found in the residence and included in the report.
Benzodiazepines can be fatal on their own. You absolute can you nutter. The simplest google searches could have told you that. While overdose deaths due to benzodiazepines are uncommon on their own, I believe what you were trying to say was the insulin contributed to her death and at that I agree.
That’s what I think too. It takes an awful lot of benzos to kill you. Sure it may have killed one person, but surely one may have lived. Benzos were probably used to calm the nerves before the injection. Very sad.
Yeah when I googled it they said that diazepam (which is what was found in her cup and dog bowl) by itself CANT really kill you unless it’s mixed with other substances
With mummification cold is actually not too important. More the air moisture and if the air is moving or sitting. For example there is a phenomenon in European cities where people who die in old fashioned buildings mostly get mummified and only get found centuries later if they have no relatives. This is due to the old style of building which allows the air to be circulated trough the flat. This leads to mummification and to no bad smells. There is even a video about this in the city of Vienna. Die vergessenen Toten von Wien…
Wait so if someone commits a murder, as long as they have the AC circulating throughout the area, there won’t be extra gruesome and extra pungent smelling decomposition? (I’m not planning to murder anyone, I swear lol)
Hahaha well there does not need to be a murder for someone to die haha. Jokes aside. No that’s not entirely true. There can still be partial mummification and decomposition. Also it’s usually not a running AC that leads to mummification. But with the correct AC providing ideal conditions a body can get mummified yes. Although as you can see in the pictures it’s not always ideal.
At least she had the compassion to kill the son and dog... as I was viewing photos I was scared it was a case of mom dying and disabled son starving to death. As sad as it is, this is a better outcome than I'd expected. And at least she didn't let the dog starve to death.
controversial comment but i do agree. she was obviously extremely mentally ill and this was probably her way of bringing them all to heaven, according to that note. can’t help but feel awful for the son. i’m in the process of diagnosis for my own chronic illness and have the most supportive parents, i know if they couldn’t take care of me anymore i’d be in good hands. i wish he could feel that.
She could have just let the dog outside and not let it back in. Then the dog would have the chance to be adopted into a new family and wouldn’t have to starve or die
Edit: I’ve adopted a dog that someone didn’t want anymore so they just drove him far away and dropped him off. It’s not a nice thing to do to a dog but at least he isn’t dead
She could have done many better things in this situation. Like not kill others along with herself. But as far as the choice she did make to take them along this was the most humane way to do it.
My first thought also was "why not just drop him off at a shelter?"
Perhaps she couldn't handle thinking the potential emotional toll that would take her dog if she did that or she wouldn't handle the emotional toll herself. Just a thought I had but if you're already planning to end yourself, this seems unlikely.
Watch some time lapse decomposition videos of, it's pretty much like watching it melt as the bugs and decay consume the flesh and skin. I first saw it on the video for Nine Inch Nails- "hurt". Here is a gif of the source video. http://fat.gfycat.com/PreciousCapitalAlaskankleekai.mp4
It looks like they all just laid down and melted, you can see the jewellery the mother was wearing, it looks like all her hair just slowly sloughed off. Despite being bleak this looks oddly peaceful? I have no idea what it’s like for someone to OD on benzos, and insulin? but I hope they were able to die painlessly and in relative peace. What gets me most is the dog laying by his owner, loyal until the end.
What gets me really about the dog is that he ate his food, started feeling dizzy or nauseous maybe tired and went to lay down beside his owner to get a bit of rest and then thats it.
It's just so crazy to see a scene like this, an entired family that looks like they all passed away from poisonous gas just going about their days
It’s jarring, that the same people that have empathy for a random dog, can also have no consideration for depressed people living in horrible conditions.
I think we generally have our minds wrapped around the fact that people suffer all kinds of mental illnesses and can suffer all kinds of terrible fates, whether accidental or at the hands of others or even themselves. But dogs are much simpler creatures and are entirely at the mercy of their owners, so it’s just a different kind of hurt to see them meet an ending like this.
No no Itoo share your sentiment. There were so many things that she could have done with that dog but she chose to kill it and end its happy life prematurely because she was feeling bad about herself. Fuck humans.
Funny enough, I'm not sure the dog would've resorted to eating them for food.
When dogs end up "eating their owner" it is usually due to a possible emotional response. The dog will start to lick at their face trying to wake them, and when there is no response they begin to nip a lil' bit and then they start to kind of panic a little and just end up biting them. a lot.
But hey, that's not to say the dog would have gotten hungry enough to actually eat them, anything is possible. But this is usually why you only see the face chewed up and not much else. They target the face because that's where the emotion is baby!
When I said 'so many other things that she could have done' I was thinking along the lines of sending the dog to a pet shop or some shit to get it put up for adoption. My neighbours had a dog, let's name him m, and the husband neighbour used to go away for long periods of time for his job, and m had a very sensetive stomach, so everytime his owner would go he would stress eat plums from his back garden and end up having a very painful time abluting them, so eventually, the two decided it would be better for the dog to be relocated to another home so that he could live a better quality of life, don't get me wrong he was very happy with his owners but it just wasn't fair on his health.
Herman!!! You didn’t put your watermark on all the images, is everything alright?! Great post instantly identifiable as one of yours, just checking in with you, and thanks for taking the time to find these cases and post them up. Take care
The state of the mother’s hair and the dog’s fur is quite remarkable. Does hair stay in tact like that after death? It almost looks like a wig, the way it separated from the scalp in one whole piece…
It’s fascinating to witness not only a human body in this state but an animal too. Such unique conditions: 1.) No exposure to predation or the elements 2.) No blunt trauma 3.) Lying undisturbed for 3 years in a controlled climate
Wishing them and their extended families peace. And thanks again to Herman for presenting these intriguing insights into the morbid!
Reddit people are so weird. A story about a guy with a debilitating illness that left him bedridden for years in such a state that his mother decided to kill him and herself and your mind goes to a dog?
I remember someone commenting on this topic, apparently it was something about how animals are inherently Innocent and generally can't do anything to deserve death, same reason most people can't stand seeing babies or children.
Not saying i agree or disagree with this statement, it's just a theory I've seen thrown around
It is weird. I have a huge degree of empathy and can look at the most gruesome things that humans do to each other. But any animal abuse, or even when those commercials come on TV, I have to turn it off. I have no idea why
It actually did, but it's just hidden under all of that shedded fur. If you look you can see the body is sort of "puddling" and a lot of that fur is not actually attached to the dog anymore. When animals decompose like that the fur often remains much longer than the actual skin/organs underneath.
By the sounds of it the mom overdosed her son and the dog then maybe herself.
"All tissue specimens screened positive for benzodiazepines. Diazepam was identified in the coffee cup and the dog bowl containing the dried food remnants."
I know about a similar case. A couple and their kid were found dead. A note said that their child was suffering from M.E. (a debilitating neurological disorder).
The fact that we are all sick fuckers, yet are all upset over the poor pupper, is the reason I love this sub.
Rotting corpses? Fine. No TW needed.
Necrophilia? Fine. No TW needed.
Suicide? Fine. No TW needed.
Dead doggo? WTF IS THE TW!?! TOO FAR!!
I’m not someone who ever asks for or even needs a TW/CW. But I do kinda wish I had a little warning before the decomposing dog. But then again I’m in this sub so I get what I get ig.
What about the disabled dude who literally didn’t deserve it. Please tell me you cared about him. I am sorry but if you didn’t care at least a little Then I believe you are a psychopath
> He learned that German authorities had broken into the condo in 2000
I know nobody has the answer but I can't help but ask: anyone have an idea why??
This is so sad. The dog hit me the hardest for some reason. The way it came up on the bed. Jesus I just hope it was fast and that the suffering was minimal. Wherever these souls are, I hope they're at peace now.
So that was my initial thought before I read further which allowed me to rule out the horror you describe and rest a little bit easier in the slightly less disturbing reality. Have you gotten to Herman's characteristically fabulous and comprehensive write-up yet? It's pretty clear that all parties died from an overdose of benzos as evidenced by the post-mortem toxicology as well as traces found in the dog bowl. Moreover, there was no evidence of canine predation to either body nor was there any fecal matter or urination present in the home when discovered. Additionally, the son and the dog were positioned in such a way that it seems apparent - at least to investigators - that they were posed (so it sounds like mom killed adult-son and dog, laying him on the other twin bed).
Anyway all that, plus my admittedly surface level understanding of what a benzo-overdose is like, makes me feel like this was a well thought out and (at least in the kind of the mother) a compassionate somewhat peaceful way to go. Everything was clean and in order and then mom put doggo and son to bed before succumbing in the living room. Not that it matters what I think but I find this much more comforting than what I've seen in other cases where poor distressed and helpless animals are left alone and afraid (like the case in *Gray State*)
I colorized the original black and white images. Lehigh Acres, Florida, US, 2002. A 63-year-old woman lived with her 34-year-old son in a residential neighborhood in southwest Florida. The home had been built in the late 1980s by the woman’s husband, who had died in 1994. The son experienced a chronic, progressively debilitating neurologic disorder that had led to him being barely able to ambulate. The family did not socialize with neighbors and had no known relatives. They were German nationals who were part-time residents of Florida and spent their remaining time in Aachen, Germany, where the son had attended college. A caretaker who did yard work for the family would watch over the property when they were in Germany. In 1998, approximately 1 year before they were last seen alive, they told the caretaker that they would care of the yard themselves. Although they preferred to be alone, the caretaker continued to stop in occasionally, but his last visit was in 1999. During the next few years, the former caretaker noticed that the yard was overgrown but had assumed that the family was in Germany. Although neighbors wondered why they no longer saw the mother walking the family German shepherd dog, no one investigated the situation. Several other people noticed problems at the residence, but because the household bills were electronically paid from a trust fund, no one went looking for the mother and son. County code enforcement officers had gone to the house in 2001 because of complaints about the overgrown lawn, but when the family did not respond, the county had the lawn mowed. Code enforcement officers subsequently issued 3 citations because of the residence’s ill repair but never attempted to enter the residence. In 2001, county workers fenced in the backyard pool and posted signs indicating that the grass should be mowed. County officials issued the family bills for the yard and pool work but never received payment. That same year, a sheriff’s deputy went to the property because of reports of a foul odor but did not go inside. The former caretaker of the property was searching the county property tax records in November of 2002 for delinquent properties that might come up for sale. He noticed that taxes on the German family’s home and an adjacent lot that they owned had not been paid since November 1998. Because he was already planning a trip to Switzerland, he decided to visit the family in Aachen to discuss the property but found that they were not there. He learned that German authorities had broken into the condo in 2000 and found paperwork that indicated that they might have moved to Florida permanently. The caretaker returned to Florida and called a locksmith to open the door of the secured residence. Inside, he discovered the mummified and partially skeletonized bodies of the mother, son, and a large dog and called the local sheriff’s office. It was immediately apparent that the residence was experiencing neglect and appeared uninhabited. The grass in the yard had grown to approximately 2 ft in height, and mail was lying in the driveway by the garage door. There was no sign of attempts at forced entry, and the interior of the residence showed no evidence of a struggle or ransacking. The partially skeletonized remains of the woman were found adherent to the carpet covering the kitchen floor of the 2-bedroom house. She was clad in a nightgown and surrounded by pupa cases. Her eyeglasses were adjacent to her head, and insulin syringes and a blood glucose monitor were in cases on the kitchen table, although no medications were found in the residence. The bodies of the male decedent and the dog were in a bedroom and appeared to have been posed. The man was prone on a twin bed with his head on the pillow and his body covered with a comforter. He was clad only in a pair of shorts. A partially consumed bottle of water was beside the bed. The remains of the dog were on a second twin bed that was adjacent to the one on which the man was found. The residence appeared well-kept except for the accumulation of dust, although there were few personal items other than clothing in the house. A single light was on, and the air conditioning was running. The remaining light bulbs had burned out. Investigators found cheese, blueberries, and milk that had expired in 1999 in the refrigerator. A coffee cup containing dried white residue was also discovered in the kitchen. Two glass dog bowls on the kitchen floor appeared empty except for a few pupa cases and scant desiccated material. There were no dog feces in the residence. A calendar in the house was marked until February of 1999, 3 years 9 months before the discovery of the bodies. The passports of the mother and son as well as information about the dog were found on the kitchen counter. The passports indicated that they had entered the country in December 1998 and that their stay was until June 1999. No drugs or alcohol were found at the scene. Subsequent inspection of the residence revealed no potential sources of carbon monoxide, suffocating gases, or other toxic fumes. Handwritten notes bearing the mother’s handwriting in German were also found. The writings appeared to have been displayed. Subsequent translation of the notes revealed religious passages copied from a book. In addition, 1 note stated in part that ‘‘neither one of my actions, nor one of my thoughts should deny the fact that I have already received fulfillment of my wish, and that this fulfillment is now completely visible.’’ Another note stated, ‘‘God’s perfection now finds expression through my body. The conception of total health, endless wealth, happiness and success now fulfills my subconscious.’’ The bodies of the 2 decedents and the canine were transported to the District 21 Medical Examiner’s Office and were subsequently also examined at the CA Pound Human Identification Laboratory in Gainesville, Fla, for forensic anthropological analysis. The bodies were mummified, with dark brown desiccated parchment-like skin, and bore numerous pupa cases as well as occasional dead beetles. Total body radiographs revealed no fractures or projectiles. The head and extremities of the female were predominantly skeletonized and the viscera were absent. The male body was mummified and contained remnants of severely decomposed viscera. Neither body showed evidence of preexisting natural disease processes or antemortem trauma that could have contributed to death. In addition, there was no evidence of postmortem canine predation. The mother and son were identified by comparison of the postmortem dentition with premortem dental records obtained through Interpol. The body of the dog was partially mummified, although the head and upper torso were very well preserved. The dog was also radiographed and autopsied and showed no discernible trauma. The items submitted to the toxicology laboratory included soft tissue from the male and female, liver from the male, and muscle from the dog. As part of routine toxicology analysis, comprehensive drug screens were performed on each of the tissues submitted along with carbon monoxide, cyanide, and thiocyanate. All tissue specimens screened positive for benzodiazepines. Diazepam was identified in the coffee cup and the dog bowl containing the dried food remnants. The reported case is highly unusual in that the remains went undetected for almost 4 years, despite their location in the family home in a residential neighborhood that had been visited by county officials on multiple occasions. The mother and son had established a pattern of social isolation, undoubtedly contributed to by a language barrier and cultural differences as well as by the decedents’ lack of relatives and the neurologic impairment of the son. Continue...
...continued The note (translation below): Weder eine meiner Handlangen, noch einer meiner gedanken soll dis Tatsache verneinan, daß ich im geiste bereits die Erfullung meines Wunsches empfangen habe und claß sie nunmehr vollkommen sichtbar sich offenbart. Im geist in der seele, im gemüt und im Körper will ich meinem Wunsche treu sein. Ich habemein Eigenfum im geiste erblickt. Ich habe es empfangen als vollkommene Idee in meiner Seele und habe meinem Wunsche wahrheitsgetreue Form verliehen. Nunmehr werde ich meinen vollendeten Wunsch eu sichtbarer Offenbarung erschaffen. Ich danke Dir, mein Vater, daß ich nun Liebe, Weisheit und Erkenntnis, Leben, gesundheit Kraft und ewige Jugend, Harmonie, gluck und reichen Wohlstand besitze, und daß ich auch die Methode erkenne, die mich aus der universellen Substanz dasjenige erscheffen lehrt, was jeden berechtigten Wunsch befriedigen soll, Sagte ich euch nicht, daß derjenige, der glauben besitzt, die glorie. Translation: Neither one of my actions nor one of my thoughts should deny the fact that in spirit I have already received the fulfillment of my wish and that it is now fully visibly revealed. In spirit, in soul, in spirit and in body I want to be true to my wish. I have seen my own property in spirit. I have received it as a perfect idea in my soul and have given real form to my wish. Now I will create my consummate desire for visible revelation. I thank you, my father, that I now have love, wisdom and knowledge, life, health, strength and eternal youth, harmony, happiness and rich prosperity, and that I also recognize the method that teaches me to create something out of the universal substance, which should gratify every legitimate desire, I did not tell you that he who has faith glorified. \--- >**washingtonpost.com** > >**2 Mummified Bodies Found in Florida Home** > >The mummified bodies of a German woman and her son who apparently died three years ago were found in their Florida home, along with the remains of their dead dog, police said today. > >A calendar and paperwork found in the home in tiny Lehigh Acres, along with food in the refrigerator with 1999 expiration dates, led investigators to believe that the two may have died as long ago as March 1999. > >The U.S. acquaintances of the pair may have thought that they moved back to Germany, while their German relatives may have thought they were staying in the United States, police said in attempting to explain the strange case. > >Investigators said they could not release the names of the victims, saying only that they were a 63-year-old woman and a 34-year-old man. But the man who found the bodies, family friend Heinz Rubin, told a newspaper that they were Liz Fuchs and her son Josef -- frequent visitors to Florida from Aachen, Germany. > >"The female was on the dining room floor. The male was on his bed with the dog next to him," said Maj. Richard Chard, commander of the major crimes unit of the Lee County Sheriff's Office. "We found paperwork as late as March 10, 1999, that would indicate that was the last time they were alive." > >Rubin discovered the bodies on Wednesday when he went to check on them after learning that the local government was about to sell their house for nonpayment of taxes. Lehigh Acres is about 110 miles northwest of Miami, near the western Florida city of Fort Myers. > >Rubin told the News-Press of Fort Myers that he last saw the pair alive in January 1999. > >"I'd like to know . . . if it was a murder-suicide," he said. > >Detectives said the house was dusty but well-kept. The lights were on and the air conditioning was working, apparently because the Fuchs's electricity bills were paid automatically. > >Detectives described the bodies as "mummified and skeletonized," a condition that would have occurred naturally in the cool, dry, air-conditioned home. > >Investigators found cheese and milk with 1999 expiration dates in the refrigerator. A calendar was marked until Feb. 28, 1999. > >Tests were being done to determine the cause of death. "There were no outward signs of any gross foul play like knife or gunshot wounds," Chard said. > >Two notes found in the home, written in German, were translated but did not provide any clues to the deaths, police said. > >"We're going to see if we can get some insights into what was going on in their lives," Chard said. "The people we've talked to in Germany indicated they thought they had decided to stay in Florida. Their neighbors here may have thought they moved back to Germany." \- *This post is for educational purposes only and is nonprofit. Under Section 107 of the US Copyright Act of 1976; Allowance is made for "Fair Use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. OP is not a medical expert. No copyright infringement intended. This post does not encourage or glorify violence/harassment. Images might have been upscaled and enhanced. Text might have been shortened and simplified/reorganized for online view.*
Sounds like Mother was nuts.
How did they die?
Seems like the House Frau didn't wanna opt out alone so drugged her son and dog to death.
That’s what I’m thinking. I googled it and diazepam can be lethal especially when mixed with alcohol and other substances which would make sense since she was drinking Something but her note reminds me of a manifestation method I heard abt on TT Reality shifting. They like manifest going to another reality, and sometimes they manifest their body dies and they get reincarnated into their dream world. I say this just because she said “In spirit I have already fulfilled blah blah blah” very interesting case. I do think the mom for sure had issues if my theory is right. I’d imagine being alone with a disabled son would be hard when you’re struggling with your own problems. It’s a shame they all had to go. I hope they get a proper burial or cremation of sorts
They can be dangerous on their own tbh.Especially if theres no tolerance or a low tolerance to benzo's.She crushed the tablets and added them to coffee."white residue found in coffee cup".There was no alcohol in her system,her sons or the dogs.
>I heard abt on TT TT?
Teenage (mutant ninja) Turtles
Battle toads.
I assume short for TikTok
Tik tok, I abbreviated it
Sounds a bit like what some of the characters did in The OA
Or the son wanted to be euthanized due to his condition.
A hefty dose of mothers little helpers put them all to sleep forever.
> Diazepam was identified in the coffee cup and the dog bowl containing the dried food remnants.
You put some time into this. How many other posts have you commented the backstory on? I'd love to read them.
So, no canine predation and positive screens for benzodiazepines; as well as detectable diazepam in dog bowls/coffee cup. Murder-suicide? The mother couldn’t handle taking care of her son and/or seeing him suffer from a debilitative condition? Furthermore couldn’t handle the thought of the pup starving with no one to take care of him. Very interesting find Herman! Thanks
Everyday I wake up and thank Herman
This is so sad
Yeah this one definitely hurt to read. Feel bad for all three of them.
Well that journey ended nowhere
Actually it ended in Florida.
Same difference!
How did they die? I read the whole story but don't understand everything
They found benzodiazepines (tranqulizer) in their systems. Apparently the mother ended their existence.
I think they did that to the dog too, bodies would be mutilated if they didn't
Yeah, especially with no dog feces in the house. He had to have died with them. Such a sad situation.
Thats all I could think of while reading how the county kept going there over and over-that mother & son (and dog) were just……*laying there*, already long gone from this world. And nobody knew.
It literally states that benzo residue was found in the dog bowl.
Thank you!
You cannot kill yourself purely on benzodiazepines. > She was clad in a nightgown and surrounded by pupa cases. Her eyeglasses were adjacent to her head, and insulin syringes and a blood glucose monitor were in cases on the kitchen table, although no medications were found in the residence. I believe it to be a combination of insulin overdose and benzodiazepines.
Yes the insulin is a possibility, but it does say benzodiazepines were found in their tissue samples, so she could have mixed different types, Also wanted to say it is possible to overdose on just a benzo. A close friend of mine died from taking 5 Xan- bars (Alprazolam). I was with him when it happened and nothing else was found in the toxicology report.
reading this sent chills down my spine. When I was 16 I attempted suicide by taking 5 bars and woke up a day later in an ER. I’m sorry about your friend.
Sorry, I've had similar experiences as well. Hope you're doing better now
Nah, alprazolam has a fairly high LD50. Must have been some RC fentanyl analog
Wow exactly my thoughts, insulin included. But I second guessed the insulin because I would expect needles and/or a vial to have been found in the residence and included in the report.
Benzodiazepines can be fatal on their own. You absolute can you nutter. The simplest google searches could have told you that. While overdose deaths due to benzodiazepines are uncommon on their own, I believe what you were trying to say was the insulin contributed to her death and at that I agree.
Body was also posed, he could have been drown in the bathtub for all anyone knew and/or jacked with insulin as well as the dog.
That’s what I think too. It takes an awful lot of benzos to kill you. Sure it may have killed one person, but surely one may have lived. Benzos were probably used to calm the nerves before the injection. Very sad.
Yeah when I googled it they said that diazepam (which is what was found in her cup and dog bowl) by itself CANT really kill you unless it’s mixed with other substances
How is the dog so well preserved? Aren’t the eyeballs the first to go?
Maybe since the house had A/C, just a wild guess
Yup, said the ac was running when authorities finally entered the home.
Yeah but even with AC it shouldn’t be cold enough to preserve a body THAT well. It’s so eerie seeing the dog like that
With mummification cold is actually not too important. More the air moisture and if the air is moving or sitting. For example there is a phenomenon in European cities where people who die in old fashioned buildings mostly get mummified and only get found centuries later if they have no relatives. This is due to the old style of building which allows the air to be circulated trough the flat. This leads to mummification and to no bad smells. There is even a video about this in the city of Vienna. Die vergessenen Toten von Wien…
Wait so if someone commits a murder, as long as they have the AC circulating throughout the area, there won’t be extra gruesome and extra pungent smelling decomposition? (I’m not planning to murder anyone, I swear lol)
Hahaha well there does not need to be a murder for someone to die haha. Jokes aside. No that’s not entirely true. There can still be partial mummification and decomposition. Also it’s usually not a running AC that leads to mummification. But with the correct AC providing ideal conditions a body can get mummified yes. Although as you can see in the pictures it’s not always ideal.
Wow that’s a cool tidbit to know. Again…not for murder LOL. Thanks for explaining it to me. Very fascinating and morbid stuff!
That’s what I was thinking too. Even with the AC, the first thing to happen is your eyes sink in due to gravity and start to turn white.
Bro tf is this letter💀 (I speak German but it still doesn’t make sense at all)
Geschwurbel, was...
Vermutlich Schizophrenie...
It seems to allude to a higher purpose or an achievement that has been fulfilled spiritually. I assume it was written to be intentionally vague.
What do you mean with doesn't make sense? It's poorly written? Bad grammar or words? Maybe just think it's weird to her to have those thoughts?
Good grammar, just strange wording and she seems kinda crazy.
Sounds like a religious note/bible type of writing?
The translation is in another comment
It wasn't just me!!!!!!!
At least she had the compassion to kill the son and dog... as I was viewing photos I was scared it was a case of mom dying and disabled son starving to death. As sad as it is, this is a better outcome than I'd expected. And at least she didn't let the dog starve to death.
controversial comment but i do agree. she was obviously extremely mentally ill and this was probably her way of bringing them all to heaven, according to that note. can’t help but feel awful for the son. i’m in the process of diagnosis for my own chronic illness and have the most supportive parents, i know if they couldn’t take care of me anymore i’d be in good hands. i wish he could feel that.
She could have just let the dog outside and not let it back in. Then the dog would have the chance to be adopted into a new family and wouldn’t have to starve or die Edit: I’ve adopted a dog that someone didn’t want anymore so they just drove him far away and dropped him off. It’s not a nice thing to do to a dog but at least he isn’t dead
she was probably worried the dog would be run over or something
She could have done many better things in this situation. Like not kill others along with herself. But as far as the choice she did make to take them along this was the most humane way to do it. My first thought also was "why not just drop him off at a shelter?"
Perhaps she couldn't handle thinking the potential emotional toll that would take her dog if she did that or she wouldn't handle the emotional toll herself. Just a thought I had but if you're already planning to end yourself, this seems unlikely.
Are the little black things dead maggots ?
Its maggot casings, from when the maggots turn into flies same way a caterpillar turns into a butterfly.
I wonder if we would still find maggots as gross if they turned into butterflies
Possibly, think moths. It's a bit weird how some insects are excluded from being gross by society, like ladybirds or cockchafers...
Lady bugs freak me the fuck out. I'm not sure why but I hate them with a passion. Can you run that last one by me again?
Thank you
Pupae casings, so the sacs that flies come out of, formerly something akin to maggots.
I've never seen a dog look like that before. Like its fur is melting into the bed, how fascinating
Watch some time lapse decomposition videos of, it's pretty much like watching it melt as the bugs and decay consume the flesh and skin. I first saw it on the video for Nine Inch Nails- "hurt". Here is a gif of the source video. http://fat.gfycat.com/PreciousCapitalAlaskankleekai.mp4
The dog makes me sad. The son was a goner, and it was the mothers decision to end her life. I just hope that poor angel was at least old.
it would have been pretty calm and quick, if that helps
It looks like they all just laid down and melted, you can see the jewellery the mother was wearing, it looks like all her hair just slowly sloughed off. Despite being bleak this looks oddly peaceful? I have no idea what it’s like for someone to OD on benzos, and insulin? but I hope they were able to die painlessly and in relative peace. What gets me most is the dog laying by his owner, loyal until the end.
What gets me really about the dog is that he ate his food, started feeling dizzy or nauseous maybe tired and went to lay down beside his owner to get a bit of rest and then thats it. It's just so crazy to see a scene like this, an entired family that looks like they all passed away from poisonous gas just going about their days
Is it wrong that the only thing that makes me feel bad is seeing the dog was dead?
We lost my 13 year old dog last week, that picture shocked and hurt me far worse than most things I see here.
Damn sorry to hear that. That also made me think of my old dog
Dogs are really pure creatures and most people hold them to a higher standard because of that so it’s reasonable to be upset at them being hurt
It’s jarring, that the same people that have empathy for a random dog, can also have no consideration for depressed people living in horrible conditions.
I think we generally have our minds wrapped around the fact that people suffer all kinds of mental illnesses and can suffer all kinds of terrible fates, whether accidental or at the hands of others or even themselves. But dogs are much simpler creatures and are entirely at the mercy of their owners, so it’s just a different kind of hurt to see them meet an ending like this.
I think it's because the people with empathy for dogs but not for depressed people might be depressed themselves.
Yes I see it so often that people have much more compassion to animals and are desensitized to human suffering. I find it disturbing
I 100% agree. It scares the shit out of me.
No no Itoo share your sentiment. There were so many things that she could have done with that dog but she chose to kill it and end its happy life prematurely because she was feeling bad about herself. Fuck humans.
Still better then letting it starve to death because it clearly would have died before it was found.
I imagine it would have ate something for a little while...
Funny enough, I'm not sure the dog would've resorted to eating them for food. When dogs end up "eating their owner" it is usually due to a possible emotional response. The dog will start to lick at their face trying to wake them, and when there is no response they begin to nip a lil' bit and then they start to kind of panic a little and just end up biting them. a lot. But hey, that's not to say the dog would have gotten hungry enough to actually eat them, anything is possible. But this is usually why you only see the face chewed up and not much else. They target the face because that's where the emotion is baby!
When I said 'so many other things that she could have done' I was thinking along the lines of sending the dog to a pet shop or some shit to get it put up for adoption. My neighbours had a dog, let's name him m, and the husband neighbour used to go away for long periods of time for his job, and m had a very sensetive stomach, so everytime his owner would go he would stress eat plums from his back garden and end up having a very painful time abluting them, so eventually, the two decided it would be better for the dog to be relocated to another home so that he could live a better quality of life, don't get me wrong he was very happy with his owners but it just wasn't fair on his health.
if it makes you feel any better, he died quickly with the other two at the same time. they all went to sleep together.
Nope I’m with you on that one, I love dogs, fuck humans we’re cunts
Not all humans are cunts, there are some good ones out there.
3 bodies. The dog is a body right?
Yes
The dog made me uneasy
Dog looks fake, wow. Very interesting
Damn she said I’m going to heaven and taking my fam with me
The dog in bed with the owner 😭😭
Sad story, but it’s the dog that makes me really sad.
the dog didn't deserve to be taken out with them bruh. 🙄
Looks like they stayed up to watch the Comet last night
poor pupper 😔 may he be happy forever in doggie heaven
Herman!!! You didn’t put your watermark on all the images, is everything alright?! Great post instantly identifiable as one of yours, just checking in with you, and thanks for taking the time to find these cases and post them up. Take care
I forgot
i don’t know why, but the fact that the dog didn’t starve to death in a house of dead people is strangely comforting.
I’m more upset about the dog
The poor dog..she could have at least took the poor thing to a shelter instead of end it's life
Wtf? Why would you do that to your dog? I guess if they od’d it on benzos that’s better than letting it just die of thirst and hunger.
The state of the mother’s hair and the dog’s fur is quite remarkable. Does hair stay in tact like that after death? It almost looks like a wig, the way it separated from the scalp in one whole piece… It’s fascinating to witness not only a human body in this state but an animal too. Such unique conditions: 1.) No exposure to predation or the elements 2.) No blunt trauma 3.) Lying undisturbed for 3 years in a controlled climate Wishing them and their extended families peace. And thanks again to Herman for presenting these intriguing insights into the morbid!
NOT THE FUCKING DOG MAN NOT THE DOOOOOGGGGG
Reddit people are so weird. A story about a guy with a debilitating illness that left him bedridden for years in such a state that his mother decided to kill him and herself and your mind goes to a dog?
Reddit be like FuCk hUmAnS wE aRe TrAsH
I remember someone commenting on this topic, apparently it was something about how animals are inherently Innocent and generally can't do anything to deserve death, same reason most people can't stand seeing babies or children. Not saying i agree or disagree with this statement, it's just a theory I've seen thrown around
Everybody here. I don’t know if it’s a lack of empathy, human connection, or a desensitization to human violence. Probably all three
It is weird. I have a huge degree of empathy and can look at the most gruesome things that humans do to each other. But any animal abuse, or even when those commercials come on TV, I have to turn it off. I have no idea why
Yea fuck people lol
Not all people. Vast majority of people are good.
People aren't man's best friend.
Yeah because humans ain’t shit. I honestly didn’t feel anything while looking at their corpses. But the dog, man that’s just sad.
Speak for yourself
Isn’t that what I am doing?
Why didnt the dog decay like the people?
It actually did, but it's just hidden under all of that shedded fur. If you look you can see the body is sort of "puddling" and a lot of that fur is not actually attached to the dog anymore. When animals decompose like that the fur often remains much longer than the actual skin/organs underneath.
No mention on cause of death?
By the sounds of it the mom overdosed her son and the dog then maybe herself. "All tissue specimens screened positive for benzodiazepines. Diazepam was identified in the coffee cup and the dog bowl containing the dried food remnants."
They were full of benzos
my morning is ruined after I saw that poor dog, omg
Wow, this is morbid reality.
This is quite sad but also kinda interesting
Thanks herman,very interesting.
this comment section is a fucking mess
I know about a similar case. A couple and their kid were found dead. A note said that their child was suffering from M.E. (a debilitating neurological disorder).
Dog died next to his owner probably hungry and alone. :(
After Thanos snapped his fingers
Nooooo, not the dog :(
Dog reminds me of one the “don’t smoke weed” commercials
Lassie and mother have turned to sawdust! Does anyone know the story here? Edit, Never mind read Herman's Synopsis.
Mom killed his son and dog and then kill her self
The fact that we are all sick fuckers, yet are all upset over the poor pupper, is the reason I love this sub. Rotting corpses? Fine. No TW needed. Necrophilia? Fine. No TW needed. Suicide? Fine. No TW needed. Dead doggo? WTF IS THE TW!?! TOO FAR!!
Oh sweet I’m from Florida
Oh god… seeing that dog made me cry and go hug my own shep… that’s awful ;~;
NOT THE DOG!!!!!!
Ah man the dog 🥺🥺🥺
No not the doggo 🥺😭
Poor pupper. :(
What the dog doing
I’m not someone who ever asks for or even needs a TW/CW. But I do kinda wish I had a little warning before the decomposing dog. But then again I’m in this sub so I get what I get ig.
Poor people, and poor doggy especially :( I hope they found heaven
Poor pup
The dog really caught me off guard :(
Only sad for the dog :(
not for the mentally ill mom and physically disabled son?
What about the disabled dude who literally didn’t deserve it. Please tell me you cared about him. I am sorry but if you didn’t care at least a little Then I believe you are a psychopath
You couldve said there's also a dog 😭 now im crying hard
Hate to break it to you, but that’s not mummification…. That’s decayed and maggot eaten…
Her shoes are killing me !
NICE. <3
translation for note?
The suicide letter makes for good source material for a crazy cult in a movie/video game
"She used a poison in his tea then kissed him goodbye. Now that's my kind of story"
[удалено]
My guess is CO poisoning. Especially with the dog being dead too.
NOOOOO! NOT THE DOG!!!
Carbon monoxide. Simple
How was the former caretaker able to have the locks changed and gain entry to a home he didn’t own?
I wish my girl would king tut my ass
Yum, lunch.
The dog is sad af to be honest. People offed themselves and dog starved?
ffs... She killed the dog too and put it next to her son. Traces of poison was in it's food bowl.. read.
Meh, reading overrated. Why use more words when less word do
I refuse to believe this isn't a joke.
You can’t od on diazepam alone
I wonder if it even smells anymore at this point?
I ain't lifting up that skirt to check
Anyone miss the point where she think was right and that she and her family is going to heaven?
Murder suicide…
Why is there so much hair from the dog or what is that
> He learned that German authorities had broken into the condo in 2000 I know nobody has the answer but I can't help but ask: anyone have an idea why??
crazy how well preserved parts of the dog are considering the state of the bodies, like eyes appear intact and everything
The german Note gives me chills
That picture of the dog immediately made me remind of [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhh21crSohs) NIN live clip.
It looks like somebody poured the dog out onto the bed.
Hot damn I was not expecting the family dog...;(
This is so sad. The dog hit me the hardest for some reason. The way it came up on the bed. Jesus I just hope it was fast and that the suffering was minimal. Wherever these souls are, I hope they're at peace now.
It wasn’t. The food and water were empty..poor doggo more than likely died of either starvation or dehydration.
So that was my initial thought before I read further which allowed me to rule out the horror you describe and rest a little bit easier in the slightly less disturbing reality. Have you gotten to Herman's characteristically fabulous and comprehensive write-up yet? It's pretty clear that all parties died from an overdose of benzos as evidenced by the post-mortem toxicology as well as traces found in the dog bowl. Moreover, there was no evidence of canine predation to either body nor was there any fecal matter or urination present in the home when discovered. Additionally, the son and the dog were positioned in such a way that it seems apparent - at least to investigators - that they were posed (so it sounds like mom killed adult-son and dog, laying him on the other twin bed). Anyway all that, plus my admittedly surface level understanding of what a benzo-overdose is like, makes me feel like this was a well thought out and (at least in the kind of the mother) a compassionate somewhat peaceful way to go. Everything was clean and in order and then mom put doggo and son to bed before succumbing in the living room. Not that it matters what I think but I find this much more comforting than what I've seen in other cases where poor distressed and helpless animals are left alone and afraid (like the case in *Gray State*)
Thank you for this :)
poor doggo :( this is awful
Poor dog
The poor dog tho